Sports Blog
January 24, 2012 10:35 AM

Tim Thomas the latest athlete to snub Obama

By
Stephen Smith
Topics

Goaltender Tim Thomas (30) of the Boston Bruins walks back to the locker room before the NHL game against the Phoenix Coyotes at Jobing.com Arena on December 28, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona.

(Credit: Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

By now everyone knows Boston Bruins' goaltender Tim Thomas elected not to go to the White House Monday with his teammates, who were at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. to be honored for their 2011 Stanley Cup championship.

The Flint, Mich. native said it wasn't about "politics or party" and yet he also took the time to slam the government for being "out of control," which sounds kind of political to me.

On the ice, Thomas wears a helmet with the slogan "Don't Tread on Me" and, according to the Boston Herald, he is a big fan of Glenn Beck.

Thomas is certainly entitled to his views and has every right to decline a trip to the White House but to say his decision is "not about politics" is like saying that fewer fights in the NHL is a dangerous trend. It doesn't make sense.

Either way, the winner of the Vezina Trophy as the league's top goaltender in the regular season and the playoff MVP last year is not the first professional athlete to snub Mr. Obama.

In September, former Chicago Bears great Dan Hampton declined an invitation to a 25-year celebration of the team's Super Bowl win at the White House. (The original event was canceled because of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy two days before.)

As for Hampton, he said he wasn't happy that players' wives and children weren't invited to the event. But he also added this unambiguous rationale: "I'm not a fan of the guy in the White House."

Fair enough. Give Hampton credit for not watering down his rationale with a "this isn't about politics" disclaimer.

Also in September, five NASCAR drivers -- Greg Biffle, Kurt Busch, Carl Edwards, Kevin Harvick and Tony Stewart - rejected a White House invite to be honored with other top drivers. Their excuse: "Scheduling conflicts."

While Biffle and Stewart said their decision had absolutely nothing to do with politics, Sprint Cup champion Jimmie Johnson took issue with the snubs, tweeting: "Regardless of political views, when (president of the United States) sends an invite and wants to honor you at the White House, you accept," Johnson wrote. He signed off the tweet with a hash tag with the word "respect."

Obama is not the only president to deal with a jock nixing an invitation. In 1996, former Packers tight end Mark Chmura declined to attend a Super Bowl tribute with President Clinton. He said he skipped the White House meet-and-greet because of the Monica Lewinsky scandal.

Four years later, Chmura was accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old babysitter. He was found not guilty but later acknowledged that his behavior "wasn't something a married man should do."


  • Stephen Smith

    Stephen Smith is a news producer and sports editor for CBSNews.com

Add a Comment See all 73 Comments
by Freedom200 January 27, 2012 5:25 PM EST
I saw this story today. In this society with all of it's 'social action studies', we assume comformity and confuse it with 'no maners, no respect, and no honor'. Listen Tim, I'm with you. It has nothing to do with Politics. You have a right to choose. We tend to judge others way too harshly. I respect the office of the President of the United States. However, I cannot pretend to have any respect for the holder of that post if that person has lied at every turn. I respect you Tim for your decision. Sometimes we need to stand up and alone for what we believe in. I'm proud of you.
Reply to this comment
by mecury69 January 26, 2012 4:03 PM EST
He's a man-child, just like most men in this country. No respect, no manners, no character, no sense of duty or honor.

If the President of the United States invites you to the White House, you go. It has nothing to do with freedom, it's respect for our country and our leader.
Reply to this comment
by msay3 February 2, 2012 4:52 PM EST
GET REAL!!!
by sweetcakesmaria January 25, 2012 6:36 PM EST
I am sure that President Obama is not going to lose any sleep over a DUMB JOCK refusal to attend an event at the White House.
Reply to this comment
by 7ponies January 25, 2012 5:36 PM EST
Personally, I couldn't care less about football or any sports. But, if the guy doesn't want to "see" the president....or anyone else, it's HIS business. Not anyone else's. Free country! So far.
Actually, I'd rather not "see" Obama,either.
Reply to this comment
by Freedom200 January 27, 2012 5:29 PM EST
:) awesome!
by Forty-Four January 25, 2012 12:17 PM EST
I think it is fine to decline the invite. But, the President wants to meet you, I don't see WHY you do it other than being busy in a way you can't get out of.
Reply to this comment
by jack76 January 25, 2012 10:07 AM EST
My local paper put Thomas's whole story in the paper.
He exercised his rights as a citizen and it wasn't" about politics or party" He said both parties are responsible"for the situation we are in as a country"
Why don't reporters tell the whole truth?
Reply to this comment
by drugboy203 January 25, 2012 6:43 PM EST
Probably because it is CBS news writing the story.
by RoscoeBonifitucci January 25, 2012 8:24 AM EST
These guys have a BIG set of Brass ones. "Don't Tread on Me" Patriots indeed! God Bless them.
Reply to this comment
by Sloughfoot January 24, 2012 11:50 PM EST
It is more about being a team player and team spirit then about an individual making a personal statement. If he can not suck it up and be uncomfortable but be a man for a few minutes, I pity the poor ba*****.
Reply to this comment
by stayfree12 January 25, 2012 9:21 AM EST
No it is about what you believe in. He has every right not to attend.
by actornaught January 25, 2012 1:08 PM EST
And what he chooses to believe in is Glen Beck, a Career Prankster and certifiable head case.

Mr Thomas, you've been punked...
by Bob_in_Boston January 24, 2012 11:21 PM EST
I'm extremely proud of Tim Thomas for having the guts to stand for what he believes in. I'm sorry but everyone keeps trying to position this as a "great honor" that they'd all get to meet the president. But let's face it - this is all just public relations for the president, especially now that we're in an election year.

Tim Thomas is a true patriot, and maybe if we had more people (especially congressmen!) willing to stand up for what they believe in versus following their team or political party, we wouldn't have unconstitutional laws like the Patriot Act and the NDAA.
Reply to this comment
by Seacoffee January 24, 2012 10:52 PM EST
Tim Thomas has acted very childish in this affair of his making.
He is also a colossal hypocrite of the highest order. His actions
were aimed at one person only, Barack Obama. If he wanted to protest,
he could easily visit Senator Scott Brown's local office. But he did
not want to protest, he wanted to embarrass the President.He failed
as all he succeeded in doing was showing the world how confused and rude
the local goaltender is about the issues and human interaction
Reply to this comment
by traz1019 January 24, 2012 11:45 PM EST
The only thing that is embarrassing about this president is his record! COme on November! Vote America back to being America!
by stayfree12 January 25, 2012 9:20 AM EST
Really????? So let me get this straight....he is not allowed to express his opinion or is that only an opinion you do not agree with? What makes him a hyprocrite??????
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